Collecting and representing home attributes
First Claim
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1. A method in a computing system for constructing a repository containing attribute information for a plurality of homes, comprising, for each of the plurality of homes:
- procuring values for attributes among a plurality of attributes that were attributed to the home by a government agency;
storing the procured attribute values for the home with an indication that they were attributed to the home by a government agency;
providing a mechanism for a user to identify himself as an owner of the home;
where the mechanism is used to identify a user as an owner of the home, obtaining from the user values for attributes among the plurality of attributes;
storing the obtained attribute values for the home with an indication that they were attributed to the home by an owner of the home, such that all of the procured attribute values and all of the obtained attribute values are simultaneously stored; and
making available for display by any user both the procured and obtained attribute values for the home.
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Abstract
A facility for representing home attribute values for a plurality of homes and a plurality of home attributes is described. The facility incorporates a data structure comprising, for each of the plurality of homes, for each of the plurality of attribute value sources, the capacity to store values for any of the plurality of home attributes obtained from the attribute value source.
118 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method in a computing system for constructing a repository containing attribute information for a plurality of homes, comprising, for each of the plurality of homes:
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procuring values for attributes among a plurality of attributes that were attributed to the home by a government agency; storing the procured attribute values for the home with an indication that they were attributed to the home by a government agency; providing a mechanism for a user to identify himself as an owner of the home; where the mechanism is used to identify a user as an owner of the home, obtaining from the user values for attributes among the plurality of attributes; storing the obtained attribute values for the home with an indication that they were attributed to the home by an owner of the home, such that all of the procured attribute values and all of the obtained attribute values are simultaneously stored; and making available for display by any user both the procured and obtained attribute values for the home. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computing system to perform a method for constructing a repository containing attribute information for a plurality of properties, the method comprising, for each of the plurality of properties:
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procuring values for attributes among a plurality of attributes that were attributed to the property by a government agency; storing the procured attribute values for the property with an indication that they were attributed to the property by a government agency; providing a mechanism for a user to identify himself as an owner of the property; where the mechanism is used to identify a user as an owner of the property, obtaining from the user values for attributes among the plurality of attributes; storing the obtained attribute values for the property with an indication that they were attributed to the property by an owner of the property, such that all of the procured attribute values and all of the obtained attribute values are simultaneously stored; and making available for display by any user both the procured and obtained attribute values for the property.
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5. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computing system to perform a method for publishing information about a distinguished home, the method comprising:
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identifying a distinguished user as the owner of the distinguished home if the distinguished user can either (1) answer a question whose answer is likely to be known by the present owner of the distinguished home or (2) provide credit card information associated with a valid credit card; if the distinguished user is identified as the owner of the distinguished home; receiving information about the distinguished home from the distinguished user; and including the received information in a web page relating to the distinguished home that is available for retrieval by any user without restriction. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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- 15. One or more computer memories collectively containing a data structure containing home attribute values for a plurality of homes and a plurality of home attributes, comprising, for each of the plurality of homes, for each of a plurality of attribute value sources, the capacity to store values for any of the plurality of home attributes obtained from the attribute value source.
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21. One or more generated data signals collectively conveying a home attribute display data structure, the data structure having contents for causing a display device to display visual information that (a) identifies a home, (b) conveys a first value for a home attribute obtained from a first source, and (c) conveys a second value for the home attribute obtained from a second source distinct from the first source.
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23. A computing system for aggregating home attribute values, comprising:
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an import module that imports home attribute values exported by one or more external electronic data sources; a web serving module that serves web pages usable by authorized users to input home attribute values; and a home facts repository that stores both home attribute values imported by the import module and home attribute values inputted via web pages served by the web serving module. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A method in a computing system for managing home attribute values, comprising:
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obtaining a value for an attribute of a home from a data source; and adding a row to a first table indicating the received value and identifying the home, the attribute, and the data source, the first table containing a plurality of rows each corresponding to a value of one of a plurality of attributes of one of a plurality of homes obtained from one of a plurality of data sources. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification